16 episodes… no cliffhangers, lovable characters and a quick binge—the mix that UPA’s community cherishes. Korean dramas snuck their way into Americans’ hearts and introduced a unique way to enjoy shows. Since its wave of popularity in 1990, K-dramas remain a popular form of entertainment around the world. The wide catalog of genres includes but is not limited to historical, school, thriller, crime, romance, medical and legal.
Sophomore Sathvika Arumilli watched her first K-drama, “Hospital Playlist,” in 2021. She fell in love with the attractiveness of it. As a middle schooler, Arumilli encountered her first show while scrolling through Netflix and was instantly hooked by the compelling tales. Since then, watching K-dramas has become her new norm. She found the storytelling and well-thought-out characters captivating and the pace of the plot refreshing.
Math teacher Nicole Sebek is a passionate viewer herself. Sebek started in 2009 when she stumbled onto “Pasta,” her first K-drama on Hulu. However, her start was rocky as Sebek noted that she was not a fan of the show itself because of the character portrayal and the way they were rude to one another. Despite not liking what was occurring in the show, the K-drama had a way that hooked her into wanting to watch more to see what happens next. She continued and K-dramas piqued her interest.
Previously, Sebek learned to speak Korean. Being a somewhat fluent Korean speaker, she finds it difficult to practice her Korean when not many people around her know the language. For Sebek, K-dramas are an enjoyable way to retain her Korean. The Korean to English translations are not always correct, so being able to catch those mistakes is an interesting aspect of her experience.
Freshman Siri Guoy began his K-drama journey during the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, while quarantining, a time when entertainment was needed more than ever.
“My family doesn’t really hang out because we all have our separate things,” Guoy said. But I saw my mom and dad watching [the K-drama “Start Up”] and I was interested, so I asked about it.”
When he saw his parents watch “Start Up,” Guoy was intrigued and decided to join them. In the past, K-dramas gave him a way to bond and connect with his parents every day. After watching 20 K-dramas, the tradition carries on with Guoy still sitting in his living room with his parents and indulging in a new episode.
“I enjoy the glimpse of how life is for certain professions, but you’re in fictional settings,” Arumilli said. “I appreciate the attention to detail in the production, from the beautiful cinematography to the well-chosen soundtracks.”
Arumilli entices in shows centering around the life of people living in workforces—like surgeons—as well as comedy and drama. Through these types of shows, she gains insight into the lifestyle of various jobs and is entertained in the process. She particularly enjoys watching dramas with a slice-of-life plotline, a term that describes the show’s purpose of providing a glimpse or representation of everyday life. This theme interests Arumilli because of its ability to make her invested in the characters’ lives and relatability. Out of her list, Aumilli personally recommends “Hospital Playlist,” “Start-Up” and “Reply-1988.”
“Sometimes it just detaches you from reality,” Arumilli said. “It just gives you a form of relaxation.”
On top of the exposure it provides, Arumilli views K-dramas to de-stress and distract herself from the realities in her world. For a moment, the long list of homework waiting for her does not matter.
“They [are] shorter than most American dramas,” Sebek said. “I felt that most American dramas would be interesting, for maybe a season or two, and then seven seasons later, I’m like, ‘why am I still watching this?’”
Sebek enjoys the duration of the shows. Compared to the average of 16 episodes, American television differs, with an average of 22 episodes in each of the multiple seasons. Sebek finds herself lost between seemingly endless seasons or episodes and continuing seems more like a chore than entertaining, but for most K-dramas, this issue does not appear.
“I would argue recommending shows depends on what they’re interested in,” Sebek said. “There’s dramas that have mysteries, there’s dramas that talk about social inequities, [and] there’s dramas that obviously have romance.”
The genres and stories are diverse and cater to people with different interests. Although Sebek feels that recommending shows can be difficult because it depends on the person’s interests, there are some topics of drama she recommends: school and stories that revolve around a person’s start at a new job. These are more closely related to the lives of students, which could be a way to get started.
“[K-dramas are] kind of the same thing as any American show to me, but I prefer it more because it’s closer to my culture than American shows,” Guoy said.
While also liking American shows, K-dramas stuck more to Guoy because they display traditions and cultural aspects that are more familiar to him. For example, the use of shamans in the shows. Similar to shamans, Guoy’s culture has fortune tellers. These traditions can be seen in his life and this similarity Guoy shares makes him more enthralled. With further exploration since starting four years ago, Guoy likes watching action and romance K-dramas. His favorites are “My Demon,” “Sweet Home,” “Hotel del Luna” and Start-Up.
“Overall, there was more complexity involved,” Sebek said. “And honestly, they do very well on their cliffhangers, making it more interesting.”
The universe of Korean television is diverse with plenty of genres that appeal to wider audiences. For some that are similar to Guoy, K-dramas create a special bond with loved ones or give you a chance to rest from the pressures of life, like Arumilli. Like Sebek, K-dramas can help you learn the language itself. K-dramas are for everyone.
